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Indonesian President to Impose Islamic Law in Aceh
Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid will declare the imposition of Islamic law for restive province of Aceh, an official confirmed December 5.
"The president will declare the implementation of sharia law in Aceh when he visits the province on December 15," Antara news agency Tuesday quoted Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh as saying.
After meeting with Wahid in Jakarta on Monday, Puteh said the central government has promised to include Islamic law in a wide-ranging autonomy package to be implemented in Aceh next year in a bid to reduce demands for independence.
He said the autonomy deal will also include the freedom for Aceh to run its own education system.
Although strict sharia law can include punishments such as stoning and beheading, in Aceh it is more likely to involve such things as more conservative morals and Islamic banks, experts said.
Last week, Wahid warned the government would get tough if separatists in Aceh and Irian Jaya keep on pushing to break away from the world's largest archipelagic nation.
Meanwhile, Wahid announced a US$10.5 million aid package last Saturday, just two days ahead of the 24th anniversary of rebel the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), to the province for economic recovery program.
GAM was founded on December 4, 1976. It has been battling Indonesian rule ever since. Thousands of people have died in the province during the past decade.
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